#245. My Skin's Crawling
"Crazy bastard."
Ignoring the shattered table, Kang Moo-hyuk pressed on.
"It's an unwritten rule in North America's underbelly—no guild messes with lobbyists. No matter how bitter the feud, they never cut that lifeline. Grab the hand when it's offered."
"So you're saying you're that lobbyist?"
"Exactly. Special offer, today only: I'll play lobbyist for Ithaca Guild. Handle the eastern LA swarm, and I'll get your current illegal ops amnesty. New ones uncovered later? Not covered."
"So we eat all the losses."
"Don't cling to sentiment when your guild's survival is on the line. Or don't get caught next time. That's skill too."
"Fine. I'll chalk this up to my own shortcomings. We'll wipe out the swarm. But one thing clear: if Hamilton plans a hive raid, Ithaca sits it out. No guarantee, we go all the way. Dying to monsters or hunters in an unknown hive evolution? Six of one, half a dozen of the other."
Kang Moo-hyuk rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Watching him, Dolores Scott knew her hunch was spot on.
'Knew it. They were gunning for the hive too.'
This was a condition she absolutely had to dodge.
Queen bees got tricky by generation three. From four onward, difficulty spiked exponentially. Five was national crisis level. Six? No precedents. Experts predicted seven would be continental-scale.
After agonizing deliberation, Kang Moo-hyuk spoke.
"Deal. No hive raid. But Ithaca coughs up a strategic asset. I made bold promises to Hamilton too. Can't go back empty-handed—face to save. Big business ahead; show some sincerity."
"Strategic asset? Greedy much. What're you after? Obvious, but unique items aren't even rentable."
"What's best against a swarm?"
"Mage?"
"Not just any. Lend a high-rank with AoE spells."
"Listen. I said no suicide in the hive. You'd send your precious mages?"
"Refuse that, no more to say."
"Previous deal's off?"
"I'm not unreasonable. Deal stands. But no warranty on post-incident fallout."
"Spoiled you, now outright threats."
"Not just Oort Cloud—every government intel asset watching you. Who knows what leaks. Might cross paths on bigger dirt soon."
Kang Moo-hyuk's warning was obvious.
Ithaca didn't ignore hunting, but their illegal side hustles were no small potatoes.
Shutting down everything cold turkey was tough; starting fresh under scrutiny? A nightmare.
Of course, beyond the busted Butter op, no plans to fold. They eyed South America sans North America for Butter anyway.
'Can't piss off the feds. No matter how tempting, long game says this guy's offer ain't bad.'
Still, sacrificing a mage hurt.
"Top guild mage? No. But next tier, solid player."
"Solid specs?"
"AoE capable. Has Fire Field."
"Rank?"
"B+."
"Not even A-? That's 'solid'?"
"High-rank mages are hell to train or recruit. Think America's different? Big bleed for us."
"B-rank Fire Field? Barely 1.5 soccer fields—10,000 square meters, one hectare. Hive's deepest chamber's bigger. And we need piercing AoE too, not just spread. Underground, Fire Field's half-assed. Limited patterns. Wanna argue? Spill full spell stack. I'll judge."
Dolores blinked—guy knew mages cold. No lowballing a normie here; positional IQ off the charts.
She pondered her play. Kang Moo-hyuk fed her the answer.
"You got AoE, utility, burst single-target. A disposable mage."
"Who... Thomas?"
"Heard the trait en route. Ideal: Ithaca joins. Plan B: high-rank mage. Last resort: him. You use him well, right?"
"Greedy bastard. Know how much magic we fed him? Two billion dollars. Ask for cash instead, thief."
"Heard one billion?"
"No market skillbooks. Black market two bil's iffy."
"Market rate. Government gig."
"Buying? Efficiency's crap. I regret feeding him already."
"No more talk. Account. Deposit, use, return alive. Dies? Yours. Lives? Refund."
Dolores recalled Thomas's file.
Orphan, foster homes, awakened. Spotted mage talent, recruited young—high hopes. Fed top-shelf spells in prime growth window.
Flop soon after.
Rank stalled. Trait ace, but one spell then cooldown till recovery—premature mage.
Clear limits. Mob farming saved him; else, scrapped in rage.
'Body's wrecked too. Reports flagged imminent breakdown. Hate wasting investment... but this cashes it out. Lucky.'
Dolores grumbled theatrically.
"Might come back broken? C-rank ain't for this."
"Fix him. Guild medical's standard, no?"
"Missed hunts during treatment? Losses on me? Low rank, but spells make him versatile."
"Damn! This no, that no! What then?!"
"Transfer fee over deposit. Korea needs mages more? Raise him right. Yours, you'll baby him. Better survival odds."
Kang Moo-hyuk gaped, speechless, then barked a hollow laugh.
"Ha? Called me thief, you're highway robber. Premium on damaged goods?"
"No thanks? B+ never happened."
"Goddamn Nothingburger."
Seething Kang Moo-hyuk pleased Dolores. She'd chafed at his early dominance.
Perfect: leverage his Hamilton boasts into an irresistible hook. Chest unclogged.
"Shouldn't have boasted to Hamilton. Didn't peg you this ruthless."
"That's running a guild in America."
"Different league from Korea."
"Account. Fuck!"
"I'm starting to fear the captain. Everyone see him scam that woman? Oscar-worthy. Or psychopath? Eyes don't even twitch. And she bought it. Planned to snag Thomas from jump, right?"
Barely out of Ithaca HQ, Go Eul-ji marveled at Kang Moo-hyuk, tongue out.
Thomas gawked too.
"Didn't expect transfer this smooth. Thought post-crisis. How?"
"Eh, luck?"
"One bil dollars ain't 'luck'."
Kang Moo-hyuk zipped it till Ithaca faded. Then:
"Dolores Scott tallies merits, demerits clean, per Thomas. Swarm jammed intel; White House nudge key. Oort Cloud feud played perfect. Criminal ops? Guilt galore. All converged—frontline hunter trait: snap calls save lives."
"Guild life on the line, huh."
"Less bargain, more gamble on you. Gamblers chase break-even. Found it—quick pivot."
Thomas pieced it, quipped:
"Dolores got played. Caught cheating at poker. Never shuffle with Captain."
"Greed's easy mark. Ditch it, she dodges my trap."
Thomas pondered Kang Moo-hyuk's words.
LA's shadow queen swept by circumstance, toyed by Korea's normie captain. His transfer? Minor. Mobilizing LA's top three guilds? Seismic.
'He'll lead Korea's hunters. Teaming up? Not bad.'
Silence broken, Jang Deok-gu asked:
"Captain, next?"
"Our part ends here. Cull monsters en route, but vast LA's theirs. Post-defense, hive raid. Plan it... if guilds honor word."
"Break it, deal's dead."
"Sealed by queen's generation."
Kang Moo-hyuk eyed predawn gloom anxiously. Power outage reverted roads to stone age ahead.
'Pray gen three or less.'
"—Attention passengers. Due to current circumstances at LA airport..."
"Huh?"
First-class seat roused Joo Se-ah's nerves razor-sharp.
She peered out. Darkness cloaked the city. Non-hunter eyes would've seen nothing.
'What? War? My skin's crawling.'